Many customers have said that after ordering from several major e-commerce platforms, scammers obtained their phone numbers and addresses and posed as delivery drivers to trick them into transferring payment to them.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do Thi from the Department of Cybercrime Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) told VietNamNet that online data leaks and data loss are widespread, with many serious cases reported. 

The Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention said in the first six months of 2025 authorities handled 56 cases of illegal trading of personal data, involving more than 110 million data records illegally collected and traded. This stems from the real demand for personal data to serve business activities. Many organizations and individuals have illegally collected data for their own purposes.

Multiple forums and private groups have emerged where personal data of Vietnamese users is openly advertised for sale. Cybercriminals and high-tech criminals steal this user information and data to serve criminal activities.

“In the face of that reality, functional forces of the Ministry will focus on measures to review, detect, and strictly handle subjects who illegally exploit or illegally trade personal data of users. Meanwhile, each individual needs to be very mindful to protect their own personal data,” Thi said.

He said that information should not be shared arbitrarily, as this could create conditions for subjects to collect information for criminal purposes. Users need to protect their accounts through various measures such as secure passwords, while minimizing public disclosure or sharing of personal data. Users also need to keep informed about new tactics being used by cybercriminals and high-tech criminals. 

Representing A05, Thi recommended that when information or personal data is leaked or stolen, people should promptly report it to the authorities. MPS has decentralized some authority to police units and localities, including specialized units, to process complaints related to violations of the law on personal data protection.

Thi confirmed that the Personal Data Protection Law, which took effect on January 1, 2026, aims to ensure privacy and improve the information safety of citizens and businesses.

Lawyer Ha Huy Phong, Director of Inteco Law LLC, said the Law on Personal Data Protection sends a very clear message that, from 2026, protection of personal data will no longer be a recommendation but a legal obligation accompanied by specific sanctions.

Phong said the risks stemming from personal data leaks are not only theoretical. In everyday life, many people have already become victims of sophisticated scams originating from leaked personal information. 

The lawyer himself was once tricked into transferring money simply because the scammers knew he had previously bought books and constructed a very convincing delivery scenario. This shows that when personal data is misused, it can lead to very real and immediate consequences.

Colonel Nguyen Hong Quan, deputy director of Department A05, said the right to personal data protection, previously understood as part of the right to privacy, has now become an independent right, formally recognized and protected by law.

In 2024, more than 659,000 cyberattacks targeted Vietnam, including over 10,000 attacks aimed at state agencies, organizations and Vietnamese enterprises.

Ngo Tuan Anh from the National Cybersecurity Association, said that efforts should focus on three key task groups.

First, raising awareness and human capacity. No personal data protection system can operate effectively without people who understand the law, understand risks, and understand their responsibilities. 

Second, standardizing implementation within enterprises. 

Third, developing a personal data protection technology ecosystem. Personal data protection cannot rely on a single solution, but requires the combination of multiple technology layers, from monitoring and prevention to access control, risk governance, and data lifecycle management. 

Du Lam